Intentional Living

Intentional Living

Intentionally living your life will change everything. 

Being the best version of myself meant I had to not just let go of all the things that were thwarting me, I had to all out reject them. I had to change my mindset, perspective, thoughts and habits.

Once I did these such good fruit came afterward: 

~Stop believing the lies that I was not good enough or capable. 

 ~Visualize the life I wanted and prioritize. 

~Stop focusing on my hubby's faults, but instead love and respect him unconditionally.

~Forgiving and no longer holding record of wrongs.

~Stop over-reacting, defending myself, and trying to control that was all rooted in fear, but fully trust the Lord in his plan.

~Delight in my children and build them up with my words and tone. 

~Being grateful and positive not speaking against myself, my family, or my situation.

~Exercise being an important & valuable part of my day. 

~Eating whole & healthy food.

~Joyfully and Intentionally staying on top of the house work and making our home an inviting place of blessing, comfort and rest.

"The wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands." Proverbs 14:1

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Lent Season Mar 31

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

 The Wrath of God

Today's Reading: Revelation 14:14-20

"The hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the Earth is fully ripe. . .

So the angel swung his sickle across the Earth and gathered the

grape harvest. . . and threw it into the

great winepress of the wrath of God." Rev 14:15 & 19

Many people ask, "If God is Love how can He have wrath?"  Let me ask you, if you love your children/spouse can you still have wrath against them? Let's define wrath: "anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy or mean." Do you think mankind has done anything unjust, unworthy or mean against God?

Let us consider the words of Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers of all time, about the coming Wrath of God: 

"The wrath of man is sometimes very terrible; but what must the wrath of God be like? O dear people, I have tried, these many years, humbly yet earnestly to preach the love of God, and I have never yet reached the height of that great argument, for his love is boundless; but so are all of his attributes; and if you consider any one of them, you must say, “It is so great, that I cannot fully comprehend it.” Therefore the just indignation of God against sin must be commensurate with his absolute purity. A man or a woman may think that right and wrong are mere arbitrary terms, and have no concern when wrong is done; but it is not this way with God; God is infinitely pure and holy and cannot — it is not possible that he can — look upon sin without hatred and disgust and anger. God says, through his servant Jeremiah, “Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!” [Jeremiah 44:4]. God is not indifferent to sin, rather he hates it, and he pleads with men and women not to do it because it is so abominable and so hateful in his sight.

What will “the coming wrath” be like? If God barely touches a man or a woman, as it were, with only his little finger, the strongest must at once fail and fall, the mightiest can scarcely open their eyes, and the seal of death is quickly imprinted on their forehead. Now imagine what it will be like when the hand of God will begin to plague the ungodly, when he will pour out all the vials of his wrath upon them, and crush them with his power. What will happen to them when God says, “I will remove my adversaries and severely punish my enemies?” Think, too, what must be the meaning of that terrible passage of scripture—let me repeat it to you slowly and solemnly—“Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue” [Psalm 50:22] Thus have I faithfully tried to set before you “the coming wrath.”  Charles Spurgeon

(Read more @  Flee from the Coming Wrath! October 23, 1881)

Reflection:  What do I think the coming Wrath of God will be like?

  

Reflections Journal Mar 30 to Apr 2

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

 Reflections Journal

Click here for this week's Journal Sheet

March 30 - April 02

Lent Season Mar 30

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

 The Mark of the Beast

Today's Reading: Revelation 14:9-13

"If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his

forehead or on his hand he also will drink the wine of God's wrath." 

Revelation 14:9  

Most people, myself included, will do almost anything to avoid pain or loss, especially when it comes to our children.

At this time in the tribulation we read that the antichrist will be forcing people to take his mark on their forehead or on their hand. We read in Revelation 13:17 "no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name." 

Think about that for a moment. What would you do if you couldn't get food for your family unless you took this mark upon you? The alternative, however, is terrifying: they "will drink the wine of God's wrath." Rev 14:9

There is then a warning from God for His children to stay strong and endure to the end, "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus." Rev 14:12 

This is excellent advice for our daily lives, to endure all things, keep God's commandments and hold fast to our faith in Jesus. We have many daily choices to make, some for or against the will of God. These often have no  immediate consequence, but there are eternal consequences we just don't see. One day, however, those left on Earth will be forced to make a very difficult decision - to either do the right thing and immediately suffer or do the easy thing and perish.


Reflection: Who do I choose? Am I currently enduring for Jesus or giving in to make life easier? 

Journal Page Mar 26 to 29

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

Reflections Journal

Click here for this week's Journal Sheet

March 26-29

Lent Season Mar 29

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

Give God the Glory

Today's Reading: Revelation 14:6-8

 

"And (the Angel) said in a loud voice, 

"Fear God and give Him glory,

because the hour of His judgment has come,

and worship Him who made

Heaven and Earth, 

the sea and springs of water.""

Revelation 14:7 

Glory: Very great praise, honor or distinction bestowed by common consent, adoring, praising or worshipful thanksgiving.

Reflection: When is the last time I gave God the glory He deserves? What was it for? What can I give God glory for today?

Freezing Fresh Berries - So Simple!

Freezing Fresh Berries for Smoothies - So Simple!

 
1) Rinse berries & remove leaves and stems
2) Prepare cookie sheet w/ parchment baking paper
3) Lay out berries (I put a light coating of powdered sugar on top)
4) Put in freezer about an hour
5) Put berries into freezer safe containers
6) Freeze for up to 1 Year!
7) Enjoy anytime for a yummy berry smoothie

 
Carri's Energy Smoothie:
 

Frozen Berries / 1 cup Apple Juice / 1 tsp Chia Seeds
1 scoop Wheat Grass / 1 tsp Goji Berries / 2 pcs Ice / 

1 packet go-gurt or 2 Tbsp vanilla yogurt
1 tsp Liquid Chloroyphyll Blend in your Bullet Mixer Yummm!

Lent Season Mar 28

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

Messiah Appears

Today's Reading: Revelation 14:1-5

"Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,
standing on Mount Zion, and with Him
144,000 who had His name, and His Father's name,
written on their foreheads." Revelation 14:1

In this passage, Jesus is making an appearance to the 144,000 who had been sealed (in chapter 7). They  worship before Jesus and before the Throne and "sing a new song" to Messiah that "no one could learn" except for them. (Keep in mind that this is not the "Second Coming" of Christ to the whole Earth, that happens in Revelation 19:11 we'll be there soon!).

A significant passage of Old Testament Scripture parallels today's verse regarding the return of Messiah to Earth:

"On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which

faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be

split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley,

so that half the mountain will move to the north and

half to the south." Zechariah 14:4

"Many Jews have wanted to be buried on the Mount of Olives since antiquity, based on the Jewish tradition that when the Messiah comes, the resurrection of the dead will begin from the Mount of Olives." Rabbi Ari Enkin, United with Israel.org

     

The Mount of Olives is where Jesus spoke about "the sign of (His) coming and the end of the age." Matthew 24:3 and it is also the spot where Jesus ascended to Heaven:

"After He had said this  this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11

Reflection: Consider the Old Testament prophecies (regarding the end of the age & the return of Christ) and the words of Jesus with the book of Revelation, and meditate on how they fit together perfectly. You can trust in God's word to be true.

Lent Season Mar 27

Going Beyond - Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

Deception

Today's Reading: Revelation 13:11-18

“He deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs 

he is permitted to perform . . .” Rev 13:14

Deception is the weapon of choice for Satan and his army. He is the father of lies and wants nothing more than to kill and destroy. How could anyone possibly follow him? Because he is deceiving them.

I have heard that Satan's two biggest lies are that there are many ways to God and there is no such thing as hell. Both of these take away the need and urgency to seek a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Simply hold these lies up against Scripture to see that they are not truth.

              "Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

           No one comes to the Father except through Me" John 14:6

"But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. 

Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear!" Luke 12:5

Think about our world today.  The world says what is good is evil and what is evil, in the sight of the Lord, is good. The strange thing is, a person who is foolish does not want to be truly wise as they are falsely wise in their own sight. They think what they are doing is justified in some bizarre and twisted manner, many times in the name of what they see as compassion.

Did you know that there are approximately 4,200 religions in the world? Christians are expected to be tolerant, to keep the truth of Jesus quiet, and to “Coexist” with all other religions. 

Reflection: What do you think about the Coexist movement?

 

Lent Season Mar 26

Going Beyond Revelation
Carri Lynne Pratt

Counterfeit Christ

Today's Reading: Revelation 13:1-10

 

"One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his 
fatal wound was healed. The whole Earth was amazed
and followed the beast." Revelation 13:3

Keep in mind that Satan wants to be God / Jesus. In today's passage he re-enacts the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ in order to receive praise and worship from the inhabitants of Earth.  He is proud and ignorant enough to believe that this would be possible.

We read the beast was “fatally wounded” or in other words, dead. We then read his wound was healed, meaning, he came back to life.  The world is then deceived into worshiping him, which is exactly what Satan wants.

It is urgent to know this and to tell others. Inform your children. Let them know not to be deceived.  Do not think for a moment that this is Jesus come back. It’s not. It’s a flimsy re-enactment by a bad actor for a doomed humanity.

Reflection: Can I spot a counterfeit Christ?